Katona, József

Katona, József yō´zhĕf kŏ´tônŏ [key], 1791–1830, Hungarian dramatist. His classic tragedy Bánk Bán (1821) was among the first important works in Magyar. It was set to music by Francis Erkel (1810–93) and became Hungary's most popular opera. The work is remarkable for its portrayal of emotional conflict.